What's the deal with insane rider demands? Can't a friggin' musician put on a concert without a bowl of M&M's with all the brown ones removed, a dart board with Nicholas Cage's face on it, a framed photo of Princess Diana, a 40-foot trailer furnished all in white from top to bottom (flowers, tablecloths, drapery, couches, candles), or dancing girls in burkas?*

Sin_City_Superhero:What's the deal with insane rider demands? Can't a friggin' musician put on a concert without a bowl of M&M's with all the brown ones removed, a dart board with Nicholas Cage's face on it, a framed photo of Princess Diana, a 40-foot trailer furnished all in white from top to bottom (flowers, tablecloths, drapery, couches, candles), or dancing girls in burkas?*

That's not the point. The point is that if the artist/manager walks into the green room and an obvious and aberrant clause of the rider hasn't been met, there have likely been corners cut elsewhere. It's a visible way to check for compliance.

It's a stupid way to check for compliance. Instead of attempting to meet your actual needs, now they're wasting time painting manequine pubes pink, or picking brown M&M's out of a bowl. It seems like that time could be better spent shoring up security, or something...

It's a stupid way to check for compliance. Instead of attempting to meet your actual needs, now they're wasting time painting manequine pubes pink, or picking brown M&M's out of a bowl. It seems like that time could be better spent shoring up security, or something...

The band is still paying for the time spent picking out the wrong color candy. It is still a negotiation between the band and the venue.

It's a stupid way to check for compliance. Instead of attempting to meet your actual needs, now they're wasting time painting manequine pubes pink, or picking brown M&M's out of a bowl. It seems like that time could be better spent shoring up security, or something...

I've never seen a manequine with pubes for one, why take out the brown M&Ms? Just buy online all one color and call it a day.

SlothB77:Is it possible that Lady Gaga thinks public hair = pubic hair? Or just a typo in the article?

Since the article wrote (sic) next to a few of those typos, I would assume it's in the contract.

Sin_City_Superhero:It's a stupid way to check for compliance. Instead of attempting to meet your actual needs, now they're wasting time painting manequine pubes pink, or picking brown M&M's out of a bowl. It seems like that time could be better spent shoring up security, or something...

In most places, the guy picking out the brown M&Ms will not be same guy making sure there are 10 240v power strips on stage because the band is from Europe, or that they didn't travel with their own grand piano and expect the venue to provide one.

Flab:SlothB77: Is it possible that Lady Gaga thinks public hair = pubic hair? Or just a typo in the article?

Since the article wrote (sic) next to a few of those typos, I would assume it's in the contract.

Sin_City_Superhero: It's a stupid way to check for compliance. Instead of attempting to meet your actual needs, now they're wasting time painting manequine pubes pink, or picking brown M&M's out of a bowl. It seems like that time could be better spent shoring up security, or something...

In most places, the guy picking out the brown M&Ms will not be same guy making sure there are 10 240v power strips on stage because the band is from Europe, or that they didn't travel with their own grand piano and expect the venue to provide one.

*Taylor Swift's rider from 2008 is nothing more than a two-page grocery list. That's it. The one odd-sounding item on it, edameme, has the note "it's soy beans... in frozen vegetable section".*Weird Al Yankovic's 8-page rider from 2003. Al's a vegan and the rider makes absolutely sure you know what does and does not qualify as vegan. He also needs two female dancers, a hotel of 4-star or better,*Kelly Clarkson's rider from 2009 is one page and has scribbled notes on it that cross things out and say basically 'never mind, we got this one'. Kelly barely even asks to be fed.*Justin Bieber's 2010 rider is three pages, one of which is a cover page. He needs a Vick's steam inhaler and some antibacterial soap, and also, cover the food with plastic, but nothing else that stands out.*Pitbull does not drink that Bud Lime crap. His 2010-11 rider (16 pages, only one shown) asks for Corona. And vodka. And champagne. And tequila. and whatever Hennessy Privilege VSOP is.*Adele requires in her three-page 2011 rider that concertgoers be asked for a $20 charitable contribution to Sands. If you got comped a ticket, you're expected to donate. Also, boy do they like to get drunk on that bus, although "North American beer is NOT acceptable."*Selena Gomez's 2009 rider is two pages, one of which is a cover page. Just feed her or give her the ingredients to feed herself. Half the rider is sandwich parts.

*Taylor Swift's rider from 2008 is nothing more than a two-page grocery list. That's it. The one odd-sounding item on it, edameme, has the note "it's soy beans... in frozen vegetable section".*Weird Al Yankovic's 8-page rider from 2003. Al's a vegan and the rider makes absolutely sure you know what does and does not qualify as vegan. He also needs two female dancers, a hotel of 4-star or better,*Kelly Clarkson's rider from 2009 is one page and has scribbled notes on it that cross things out and say basically 'never mind, we got this one'. Kelly barely even asks to be fed.*Justin Bieber's 2010 rider is three pages, one of which is a cover page. He needs a Vick's steam inhaler and some antibacterial soap, and also, cover the food with plastic, but nothing else that stands out.*Pitbull does not drink that Bud Lime crap. His 2010-11 rider (16 pages, only one shown) asks for Corona. And vodka. And champagne. And tequila. and whatever Hennessy Privilege VSOP is.*Adele requires in her three-page 2011 rider that concertgoers be asked for a $20 charitable contribution to Sands. If you got comped a ticket, you're expected to donate. Also, boy do they like to get drunk on that bus, although "North American beer is NOT acceptable."*Selena Gomez's 2009 rider is two pages, one of which is a cover page. Just feed her or give her the ingredients to feed herself. Half the rider is sandwich parts.

So you just picked the most boring ones, or are they all pretty reasonable and of low interest?

*Taylor Swift's rider from 2008 is nothing more than a two-page grocery list. That's it. The one odd-sounding item on it, edameme, has the note "it's soy beans... in frozen vegetable section".*Weird Al Yankovic's 8-page rider from 2003. Al's a vegan and the rider makes absolutely sure you know what does and does not qualify as vegan. He also needs two female dancers, a hotel of 4-star or better,*Kelly Clarkson's rider from 2009 is one page and has scribbled notes on it that cross things out and say basically 'never mind, we got this one'. Kelly barely even asks to be fed.*Justin Bieber's 2010 rider is three pages, one of which is a cover page. He needs a Vick's steam inhaler and some antibacterial soap, and also, cover the food with plastic, but nothing else that stands out.*Pitbull does not drink that Bud Lime crap. His 2010-11 rider (16 pages, only one shown) asks for Corona. And vodka. And champagne. And tequila. and whatever Hennessy Privilege VSOP is.*Adele requires in her three-page 2011 rider that concertgoers be asked for a $20 charitable contribution to Sands. If you got comped a ticket, you're expected to donate. Also, boy do they like to get drunk on that bus, although "North American beer is NOT acceptable."*Selena Gomez's 2009 rider is two pages, one of which is a cover page. Just feed her or give her the ingredients to feed herself. Half the rider is sandwich parts.

Gosling:*Adele requires in her three-page 2011 rider that concertgoers be asked for a $20 charitable contribution to Sands. If you got comped a ticket, you're expected to donate. Also, boy do they like to get drunk on that bus, although "North American beer is NOT acceptable."

It's a stupid way to check for compliance. Instead of attempting to meet your actual needs, now they're wasting time painting manequine pubes pink, or picking brown M&M's out of a bowl. It seems like that time could be better spent shoring up security, or something...

So...DLR finds brown M&Ms in the bowl, and trashes the green room. How does that insure the stage won't collapse or a monitor won't come crashing down from the rafters?

My rider would consist ofMiller LiteJamesonsMakersCoke or PepsiA decent stereo with an aux inputHookersBlowRoasted or fried chickenSriracha sauce and mayoHookersBlow

Sin_City_Superhero:It's a stupid way to check for compliance. Instead of attempting to meet your actual needs, now they're wasting time painting manequine pubes pink, or picking brown M&M's out of a bowl. It seems like that time could be better spent shoring up security, or something...

You're obviously not an artist. One time I was doing a guest lecture at a very prestigious art school (no, you've never heard of it) and I made a few really very simple requests. Some roasted cocoa beans, pink doves outside the lecture hall (not visible obviously, but still influencing the aura of the room) and no brown socks. Our model was sick or dead or something, so we had to convince one of the students to disrobe. After she finally calmed down and wiped the emotive waters from her eyes, we began. Everything was fine, but I just couldn't make those last few brush strokes. The image of her dismembered body laughed at me from the canvas, leg on the staircase like a clown hurling hate. I could not finish. Finally, I realized what was happening. Need I tell you what color the TA's socks were? Once he was fired, the last strokes flowed from me like milk from a bursting udder.

Unless you know the mind of an artist, you can't imagine how these things matter.

1) (a) get a good bourbon. lots of it. (b) if it's not good enough, i'm drinking the whole bottle and getting ridiculously drunk and it's all going to be an hilarious disaster.

2) what town am I in? are you people known for any good food? find the absolute best of your best food and bring it to me. if you are the midwest, just don't give me any of your food, fly some food in, or find someone from new orleans. better yet, contact my mom, cook whatever she thinks I should eat according to her recipe. if the food sucks, see # 1 part B.

The My Little Pony Killer:Sin_City_Superhero: What's the deal with insane rider demands? Can't a friggin' musician put on a concert without a bowl of M&M's with all the brown ones removed, a dart board with Nicholas Cage's face on it, a framed photo of Princess Diana, a 40-foot trailer furnished all in white from top to bottom (flowers, tablecloths, drapery, couches, candles), or dancing girls in burkas?*

*BTW...all of those are actually in celebrity riders.

It's insurance that their serious requests are actually being read.

Exactly...

Also, there is stuff that seems weird but makes sense(Not as weird as some of these), such as when George Lynch tours he has a stipulation in the rider that they provide him with one bag of 6 pair of white athletic socks. I asked his tour manger about this one, thinking it was either odd or highly wasteful, and he explained that it was in there because in a busy tour schedule, you always have someone who falls behind on laundry, and a fresh pair of socks can make all of the distance. As for the 'Brown M&M's', apparently that one was a joke just to see if people were paying attention, and then it became tradition.

H31N0US:Sin_City_Superhero: TwistedIvory: It's a visible way to check for compliance.

It's a stupid way to check for compliance. Instead of attempting to meet your actual needs, now they're wasting time painting manequine pubes pink, or picking brown M&M's out of a bowl. It seems like that time could be better spent shoring up security, or something...

So...DLR finds brown M&Ms in the bowl, and trashes the green room. How does that insure the stage won't collapse or a monitor won't come crashing down from the rafters?

My rider would consist ofMiller LiteJamesonsMakersCoke or PepsiA decent stereo with an aux inputHookersBlowRoasted or fried chickenSriracha sauce and mayoHookersBlow

Gosling:*Adele requires in her three-page 2011 rider that concertgoers be asked for a $20 charitable contribution to Sands. If you got comped a ticket, you're expected to donate. Also, boy do they like to get drunk on that bus, although "North American beer is NOT acceptable."

She says NA beer is NOT acceptable, but she gives Stella as an example of a top quality European beer.

Timmy the Tumor:Doesn't the performer have to pay for all the stupid sh*t in the rider?

No, but he rider IS negotiable. I found this out when I was working for a new venue. One of our first concerts was Sean Lennon, and when he came into the dressing room, he said "wow, they got us EVERYTHING!"

At that point we quickly realized that the rider was a wish list, and a quick call to the tour manager let you know what were the must-haves and what were optional

1) (a) get a good bourbon. lots of it. (b) if it's not good enough, i'm drinking the whole bottle and getting ridiculously drunk and it's all going to be an hilarious disaster.

2) what town am I in? are you people known for any good food? find the absolute best of your best food and bring it to me. if you are the midwest, just don't give me any of your food, fly some food in, or find someone from new orleans. better yet, contact my mom, cook whatever she thinks I should eat according to her recipe. if the food sucks, see # 1 part B.